headerimage

Production History

The Philadelphia Music Theater Works has quickly established itself as one of our city's most promising and most talked about new creative forces in the theater. We are proud to have successfully produced inventive and inspired performances you won't find anywhere else in town:

headerimage Our sold-out, inaugural FRESH: New Musicals. Stripped., a groundbreaking performance of new work for the musical theater - the scope of which had never been seen in Philadelphia - FRESH brought together over half a dozen new writers for the musical theater (including both Philly writers and beyond) and a cast of Philly singing actors, Broadway stars, Barrymore Award winners and many more for an unforgettable evening of theater.

June 13, 2008 @ 8PM | The Ethical Society Building
Hosted by Tom Dooley and Jeremiah Downes

With performances by Sarah Bolt, Mat Burrow, Billy Bustamante, Amanda Brizzi, Jeremiah Downes, Jillian Louis, Stearns Matthews, Joy Mayweather, Kimberly Rehfuss, Fred Ross, Jeremy Scott and the original cast of Jailbirds

Musical Direction by Christopher Ertelt
headerimage A highly acclaimed, sold-out, staged reading of Philly composer Charles Gilbert's Watch the Birdie at the Walnut Street Studio 5.

August 8-9, 2008 @ 8PM | Walnut Street Theater Studio 5
Cast: Claudia Carlsson, Michael Doherty, Sheira Feuerstein, Alex Keiper, Stearns Matthews and Jason Michael

Directed by Jeremiah Downes
Musical Staging by Nancy Kantra
Music Direction by Christopher Ertelt
headerimage In January we brought to Philly the 2008 Richard Rodgers Award winner Ryan Scott Oliver in an original, developmental evening of songs from this celebrated new voice in the American musical theater. The Ryan Scott Oliver Project included performances from an entirely local cast which featured Barrymore Award winners and nominees.

January 8, 2009 @ 8PM | The Ethical Society Building
With performances by Mat Burrow, Jeremiah Downes, Sarah Gliko, Colleen Hazlett-O'Brien, Alex Keiper and Michael Philip O'Brien

Directed by Billy Bustamante
Music Direction by Christoper Ertelt
Conceived & Developed by Ryan Scott Oliver and Billy Bustamante
headerimage And this summer, we brought yet another new and exciting voice to our audience with a workshop featuring the music of fledgling songwriter Joey Contreras in This Thing Called Love. Presented in cooperation with the Ira Brind School of Theater Arts at the University of the Arts.

July 19-20, 2009 @ 8PM | Laurie Beechman Cabaret Theater at the University of the Arts
Cast: Laura Catlaw, Joey Contreras, Jeremiah Downes, Sarah Gliko, Brad Greer, Michael Linden and Janet Rowley

Conceived & Developed by Joey Contreras and Jeremiah Downes
Musical Staging by Jeremiah Downes
Music Supervision by Christopher Ertelt
headerimage This January we presented Vintage: A Celebration of Broadway's Golden Age. A gala benefit event, the evening featured Broadway stars, Barrymore Award winners and nominees and Philly favorites performing songs from Broadway's classic and beloved musicals.

January 25, 2010 @ 8PM | The Ethical Society Building
Hosted by Jeremiah Downes and Alex Keiper

With Performances by Claudia Carlsson, Laura Catlaw, Joey Contreras, Janine DiVita, Michael Doherty, Rory Donovan, Jeremiah Downes, Sarah Gliko, Brad Greer, Alex Keiper, Michael Linden, Stearns Matthews, Janet Rowley, Kate Schwarz and Amanda Wertz.

Musical Direction by Christopher Ertelt
headerimage On July 1, 2010 we presented Save This: Open House and Concert Event. This special evening was the culmination of an extentsive online campaign to aid in preserving Philly Music Theater Works, one of Philly's most promising new theater companies. The evning included a premiere by Philly writers Martin and Biello, an original song written for the event by Jamison Foreman and performances by Joey Contreras (This Thing Called Love).

July 1, 2010 @ 6PM | Laurie Beechman Cabaret Theater at the University of the Arts
Hosted by Jeremiah Downes

With performances by Billy Bustamante, Laura Catlaw, Joey Contreras, Peter Andrew Danzig, Jeremiah Downes, Nathan Nolen Edwards, Christopher Ertelt, AJ Luca, Lindsay Mauck, Jarrod Markman, Sam Nagel, Caitlin Reilly, Janet Rowley, Tommy Strawser and Ryan Townsend.

Musical Direction by Christopher Ertelt